Sorting machine



June 10, 1952 F. NETSCHERT SORTING MACHINE FiledSept. 23, 1947 June 10, 1952 F. NETscHERT 2,599,655

soRTING MACHINE Filed sept. 23. 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 0/20 66` /34 I (02 30 1M I f4! x :i I l M2 y fda i 146 1' INVEN TOR. 66A N2 Nerea/.fer BY may June 10, 1952 FQ NETscHERT SORTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 23, 1947 June 10, 1952 F, NETSCHERT 2,599,655

SORTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 23, 194'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 www 'lill/iin 'IIIIIIIIA l I I Il -I IIIIA i.

'IIIA V IN V EN TOR. e4/vz /VfnscA/mr BY @am Patented June 10, 1952 SORTIN G MACHINE Franz Netschert, Glendale, Calif., assignor to Technical Glass Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 23, 1947, Serial No. 775,679 3 Claims. (Cl. 209-72) My invention relates to a machine for sorting small parts such as set screws, taper pins and the like, which have to be positioned in a part with a certain end facing upwardly or outwardly 2 out danger of clogging of the feed and consequent loss of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic means for stopping the machine when so that vthe part may be operated on by an apa magazine is full, the positioning of an empty propriate tool. Such parts are usually small in magazine in the machine and restarting it taking dimension and are supplied to the operators in afew seconds only. hulk so that considerable time is lost in picking Still further objects and features of the inout a part and properly positioning it. The loss vention will hereinafter appear from the folof time is particularly marked when the parts are lowing description taken in conjunction with the driven by mechanical means, since the output accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred of the machines could be greatly increased if it embodiment of my invention. were possible to supply them with parts to be In the drawings: driven arranged in the proper position. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete sort- The invention will be hereinafter described l5 ing machine of my invention; with particular reference to small headless set Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail perspective View screws, either slotted or recessed, by way of exto a larger scale of the head of the machine, as ample, but it is to be understood that other small seen looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in parts may be sorted by the machine of my inven- Fig. 1; tion, either without modication, or by making Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail View to a larger minor changes therein. scale of the selecting mechanism as seen look-l One difculty in handling small size set screws ing in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1; is that they are often substantially the same in Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 in diameter and length and are apt to jam in Fig. 2; tubular guides. Fig. 5 is a detail plan view, looking in the di- It is, accordingly. One Object of the invention rection of the arrow 5 in Fig. 2, of the rotating to provide a sorting machine effective to arrange means for the feeding mechanism of the maparts having substantially identical dimensions chine; but supplied to a hopper in jumbled relation in Fig. 6 is a plan view of the sorting mechanism magazines so that one magazine will contain the and operating mechanism therefor; Darts With One end upwardly and another maga- Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail in cross section to zine will contain parts with the Opposite end upan enlarged scale on the line 1-1 of Fig. c show- WaIdly. ing the switches acting to switch off the ma- A further object of my invention is to provide chine motor when either magazine is filled; a sorting machine effective to ll tubular maga- Fig. 8 is a detail view in elevation to an en- ZI-les With headless Darts such aS set Screws, one larged scale of the driving means for the selectmagazine containing set screws with their slotted ing mechanism, looking in the direction of the ends upwardly, and another containing set screws arrow 8 in Fig. 6; With their Opposite ends upward, the magazine Fig. 9 is a detail in cross section to an enlarged being provided with identical end fittings serving scale on the line 9-9 of Fig. 3; to prevent the set screws from sliding out of the Fig. 10 is a wiring diagram of the electrical magazines when detached from the sorter for power system of the machine. use in a screw driving machine, the fitting at Fig. 11 is a detail in cross section of the upper whichever end is engaged, either in the sorting end of a magazine. machine or in the screw driving machine being The numeral |4 indicates the frame of the automatically disengaged to enable the set screws machine which carries the feeding mechanism to enter the magazine in one case or to leave it shown generally at IB at its upper end and the in the other. l sorting mechanism I8 below the feeding mecha- Yet another object is to provide a sorting manism. chine assembled from a plurality of simple and An electric motor 20 is mounted on frame I4 rugged mechanisms thereby PIOViding for minand arranged to drive all mechanisms of the mum maintenance costs. machine,

A still further object of the invention is to The feeding mechanism comprises a bevelled provide feeding means for a sorting machine and grooved plate 22 mounted fast on a shaft 24 l capable of supplying a steady runof parts withcarried inclined in upper and lower `bearings V crank 44,*Fig. 2, at the end mounted on arm 26 adjustably secured in the frame.

The bevelled plate 22 is arranged in a closely fitting open top housing 28 which acts as a hopper for the parts to be sorted. The wall of the housing may be of wire mesh to permit chips and turnings or other lwaste accidentally present in the parts to fall out of the hopper.

Plate 22 is provided with a series of radial grooves 33, the diameter of which is equal to that of the parts, which in the embodiment described are headless set screws, and its lcenter is bored to receive the lower end of a centrally located block 32 fixed to a cross piece 3C supported on the top of the frame.

A guide ring 36 is xed to the center portion of the plate 22 and also nts around block 32. The center ring is furnished with grooves 38, Fig. 4, which match with the grooves in the plate to form cylindrical passages.

A single passage 40 is drilled at an angle through block 32 opening at the highest point in the upward side of the block and forming, with the grooves of the ring and bevelled plate, in turn brought into registration Vwith passage 4e, a straight inclined passage for set screws lodge radially in the grooves of the plate. Any set screws which happen to be jumbled in the grooves of the plate will not be able to slide into the Vpassages through ring and plate and therefore cannot enter the passage through block 32.

The lower end of the passage 4S in the block is counterbored to receive the upper end of a guide tube 42 throughwhich the set screws slide to the selector means later described.

The plate 22 is rotated step by step through a distance such'as to bring Asuccessive radial grooves 'in the plate into Vregistration with the passage through block 32 by parts comprising a of a shaft i6 rotated by the motor, Va pitman 41 mounted on the crank, andV a vstub 48 projecting from the free end 'of the pitman which is operatively connected by pin 50 to an arm 52 pivoted on the 'shaft 24.

y Arm 52 carries a pawl 54 pivoted thereto (Fig. 5) and held by a spring 56 against the teeth of a toothed wheel 58 fastened to shaft 24. As crank 44 reciprocates the pitman pawl 54 rides overa tooth of wheel 58 and on the return movement of the pit'man rotates the wheel through a'di'stanoe sufficient to bring a loaded radial groove into registration with the passage through block 32 and, of course, the loaded groove previously aligned with the passage moves out of registration with the passage, the set screws therein havingV slid into and through the passage, or if not radially aligned, being finally tumbled into the hopper.

An indexing detentunder resilient pressure acts to ensure that the radial groovesin the plate are held in axialV alignment with the passage through block 32 between 'each positively actuated movement of the plate 22.

A hand crank 62 is preferablyiprovided for shaft 46 so that it may be manually rotated when setting or adjusting the machine, it being understood that all necessary adjustments are provided to enable articles such as set screws of different sizes to be sorted in batches, for instance, the grooved plate and block 'may be readily changed for others if required.

The articles are `delivered by the tube 42 to the sorting mechanism now to be described.

The lower end of the tube is surrounded by a ferrule 64 longitudinally slidable on the tube and forming a prolongation thereof. The lower end of the ferrule nts on a bored socket member d6. If, for any reason, a set screw of greater length than the standard for the size being sorted reaches the sorting mechanism, it will stop the machine; but the operator, by slipping the ferrule upwardly on the tube 42 which terminates a short distance above the socket 65, and pushing a throw out rod 68 upwardly, can push 'the wrong sized set screw into View above the socket so that it may be readily picked out of the mechanism. It may be here stated that the machine is set to work at a speed such that there are never more than a few set screws standing on each other at the bottom of the tube.

The tube is preferably made of transparent plastic and provided with spaced slots so that the feeding of the articles may be observed and any required manipulation of the articles in the tube effected.

Thesorting mechanism comprises a toothed selector plate l0 (Fig. 6) provided with a circumferentially arranged series 12 of holes of a diameter to slidably receive the articles to be `sorted and to deliver them to one or the other of two vertically supported detachable tubular magazines 14, 'i6 according to whether the set screws are slot upwards or slot downwards.

The selector-*plate is rotated, notch by notch, each movement bringing a hole 12 into registry with the hole through the socket member 55. The plate 'iii is mounted for accurate rotation on a turntable 18 Fig.'6 fastened to the upper end of a vertical shaft carr-ied in vertically spaced bearings mounted on the frame I4. The turntable is tted with upwardly projecting accurately ground-pins 82, 84 of different diametertting in accurately finishedholes in the selectorrplate to ensure that the plate is placed alwaysV in the correct position on the turntable.

The driving means for the plate l0 comprise an arm 86, Fig. 6,'pivoted onthe vertical shaft 8G and a pawl 88 pivotally mounted on the arm which is rocked back and forth by means of 'a pitman fastened on an adjustable eccentric `pin 92 mounted in a cam drum 94 rotated by a'belt SieA from the motor.

. An indexing detent 98 is mounted-on the-bed plate H10 and acts under the tension o'fa'spring HB2 'to hold lthe selector plate Ywith a hole accurately aligned with the hole in the socket member which, of course, is aligned withthe end ofthe supply tube 42. l

The selector plate 10 is supported on a plate W4 having a `hole `H16 drilled therein so Vasvto underlie the holes in the selector plate and with which a tubular magazine is aligned and receives set screws having their slotsfuppermost, the articles held in the holes in the selector plate sliding over the surface of the 'platef |04.

The second 'tubular magazine which receives set screws with theirk slotted ends downward is mounted coaxially with the 'supply tube and s`ocket ,`but the vupper end of the magazine vis normally covered by `a slideV l I0, Fig.' 9, having' a Yhole IH therein'-which'is operated by rvthef'core il2a, of an electromagnet H2 connected'to a vertical lever |4'pivoted `at 'its lower end "to a bracket I I6 mounted on the `frame I4 and slotted atits vupper end to engage 'with a5-pin H8 -exalso in its forward position, but permits the lever to move rearwardly when the electromagnet ||2 is energized and the core drawn into the coil of the magnet.` In the forward position of the slide, the hole therein is out of the path of the articles held in the selector plate.

The means provided to control the actuation of the slide I I0 comprise an intermittently `oscillated microswitch |20 (Fig. 9) and a feeler element |22 which is mounted on a bracket or support |23 in position directly over the line of movement of the articles carried from thedelivery point of the feed tube over the surface of the slide H0. The feeler element is furnished with a needle |24 located in the exact center of the articles intermittently positioned beneath it by the movement of the selector plate. Needle |24 is carried in a holder |26 having a head at its upper end and mounted for accurate vertical movement in the bracket |23. A light spring |28 normally holds the needle and holder in raised position.

The microswitch |20 is of the type which is positively closed by movement of contact |30 and positively opened by a small plunger |32. The microswitch is mounted on a rod |34 carried in bearings on the frame. Rod |34 is oscillated by an arm |36 Fig. 6 carrying a roller |38 resting on a stud adjustably mounted in a cam follower riding on a peripheral cam |36a on the earn drum 94, the construction being such` as to provide a satisfactory operation vof arm |36 and full adjustment of the various elements of the cam actuated elements.

As the microswitch is rocked downwardly, the tongue |38 thereof which bears on the head of the needle holder |28, moves the needle downwardly and if the slotted or recessed end of a set screw is located below the needle, the microswitch is not operated, and the set screw will be moved by subsequent rotation of the selector plate over the opening leading into the tubular magazine for set screws so segregated.

If a set screw with its point upward is below the needle on its downward movement, the needle is arrested and the tongue |38 operates the microswitch to close` an electric circuit vthrough the electromagnet causing the slide ||0 to be retracted so that the hole is aligned with the hole in the selector plate underlying the needle and with the opening leading to the tubular magazine receiving all set screws having their slotted or recessed ends downward.

Since the microswitch |20 will remain closed until positively opened by the upward movement thereof, engaging plunger |32 against an arm |33 mounted on the frame of the sorter, the slide remains in the position described long enough to allow the article held in the selector plate to slide downward through the hole in the slide I0 and into the magazine.

The tubular magazines 14, 'I6 are detachably secured in place below the plate |04 by spring pressed pins |40 (Fig. 7) engaging in a hole in the sidewall of the tubular magazines and latches |42, |44 which may be slid across the upper ends of the magazines to securely retain the magazines in position.

Both upper and lower ends of the magazines are equipped with spring detents comprising pins |46, |48 mounted on flat springs |41, |49 riveted to the surface of the tube, the pins normally projecting through holes in the ends of the tubular magazines to prevent the set Screws from sliding out of the magazines. The flat springs are provided with an outwardly inclined portion at their free ends which are engaged by the latches |42. |44 when the magazines `are clamped in place to withdraw the pins from the upper ends of the tubular magazines to allow set screws to enter them.

Means are provided to stop the machine when either magazine is full and, as shown in Fig. 7, comprise a normally closed microswitch, |50. |52, for each magazine. The switches are intermittently rocked by the oscillation of a rod |54 on which they are mounted and which is carried in bearings on the frame. Rodl |54 is oscillated by an `arm |56 carrying a roller riding on a second peripheral cam |58 on the drum cam 94.

Pins |60 are mounted in bores in the frame and areintermittently projected through holes in the walls of the magazines, light springs |62 normallyholding the pins in outward position. Tongues |64 on the microswitches bear against the heads of pins `|60 and act to project the pins forwardly on the forward movement of the microswitches if the magazine is not full, the resistance of the springs |62 beng insufficient to operate the microswitches,` but if a magazine is full, movement of the pin is arrested, causing tcngue |64 to operate the microswitch and interrupt the operating circuitof the machine.

The electrical circuit also lincludes a start push button |05 which operates to energize a solenoid |66 and close a series of contacts |58 completing the electric power circuit of the machine until interrupted by operation of either of mcroswitches |50, |52 or until a stop switch |10 is operated to interrupt the circuit.

It is pointed out that provision is made for the adjustment of all driving members both in the feed and the selector mechanism so that the machine may be accurately set and maintained in adjustment. Further, although the machine assembly comprises a number of cooperating mechanisms, each of said mechanisms is of simple and sturdy construction, and the interrelated movements of said mechanisms are controlled for the majority of said mechanisms by a single cam member, thus ensuring that the proper timing of the movements of the mechanisms is maintained.

While I have particularly described an embodiment of the invention performing satisfactorily in use, it is `to be understood that various changes in and rearrangements of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as intended to be defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A sorting machine for headless parts such as set screws and the like, including: a frame member; a hopper mounted on an upper part of said frame and having an inclined bottom plate; means for rotating said plate in a step by step manner, a radially arranged series of grooves in4 the upper surface of the inclined plate of a diameter substantially equal to that of the parts and arranged in an outer annular zone of the surface of the plate, bores aligned with said grooves and arranged in an inner annular zone of the surface of the plate, and a central opening in the inclined plate; a stationary head carried on a frame member and positioned in said central opening and having an inclined passage therethrough of the same diameter as the bores, one of the bores and upper end of the passage being aligned at the end of each movement of the plate; a horizontal rotatory selector plate mounted below said hopper and provided with circumferentially spaced bores,

,7 a feed'tube leading from anfoutletV fromsaid hopper to a point above ysaidselector plate, va connection at the lower `end of said passage to receive .the upper'end of said feed tube maintaining the parts in endto end relation; means effective to maintain theregistration of said bores and passage until thernext rotary movement of the plate; movable selector means to which the parts are delivered; andV operating means effective tomove the elements of the machine in timed relation. Y y

2. A sorting machine forfheadless parts of--equal length and diameter, such as set screws andlthe like, including: a frame member; Va hopper mounted on said frame memberand adapted to contain a supply of said parts in jumbled relation; a horizontal rotatory selector plate provided with a circumferentially arranged series of vbores and arranged at a lower levelthan said hopper; Va feed tube to supply Vthe partsifrom the hopper to the bores of the selectorv plate; an inclined plate arranged to form the bottom of the-hopper and provided with a series of radial guiding grooves in the upper surface thereof; means effective to rotate the inclined plate by a'series-of movements to bringa radial passageinto alignment at' the end of each movementy of the plate with the upper end of the feed tube; a feeler element responsive to differences between the end portions of the parts carried'by the selector plate into operative position relative to the feeler means; magazines positioned `to receive the parts passed through the selector'means; and means actuated by the feeler means effective to direct the parts to the magazines in accordance with the characteristicy of the partssoithat identically arranged partsare deposited in the magazines but the arrangement of `parts Vin one magazine is different Vfrom the arrangementof the parts in another magazine; and 'operating'. means effective to move the elements of the machine in "timed relation said radially arranged series of grooves in the upper surface of saidinclined plate being of a diameter substantially equal to that lof the parts and arranged in anouterannular zone of the surface of `the plate, bores aligned withsaid grooves and arranged in aninnerfannularyzone .of the surface of the plate, and a central opening in the inclined plate; agstationary head carried on the frame member andpositioned insaid central opening and having an inclined passage therethrough of the same diameter :as thebores, one of the bores and upper end of the passage being aligned at the end of each movement of the plate; a connection at the lower end of the passage to receive the upper end of said feed tube; means effective to maintain the registration of ysaid bores and passage until the nextrotary movement of the plate; and operating means effective to move the elements of the machine in timed relation. Y

3. A sorting machine as characterized in claim 2 in which said selector means is formed as a plate mounted on the frame at a lowerlevel than said hopper and provided with a series of recesses adapted to receive parts and maintain them in the position in which they aredelivered to said recesses ;V a stationary tubular socket element carried on the frame to position the lower end of the feed tube in alignment with the part receiving recesses in the selector plate; a ferrule slidably tted on the lower end of the feed tube and eiective to hold the lower end of the feed tube in registration with, but spaced from, said socket member, a plate carried by the frameand underlying the selector plate with ,a passage drilled therein in registration with said tubular socket member, and a push-out rod mounted in said passage whereby any part failing to properly enter the part receiving recesses of the selector plate aligned with the feed tube and socket bore may be pushed upwardly out of the selector plate and socket by said rod and removed by sliding said ferrule upwardly to expose said part for removal.

FRANZ NETSCHERT.

le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 745,417 Church Dec 1, 1903 1;676,879 Wallin s- July l0, 1928 1,729,843 Reich Oct. 1, 1929 1,835,382 Cunningham Dec. 8, 1931 2,124,858 Marchand July 26, 1938 2,422,036 Oakley June 10, 1943 2,407,062 .Darrah Sept. 3, 1946 

